MPs want environment levy given to local governments

KAMPALA: Members of Parliament on natural resources committee have asked government to give money collected as environment levy to local governments instead of sending it to the consolidated fund.
The move, also supported by State minister for Environment Dr Mary Goretti Kitutu, is meant to facilitate local governments to manage natural resources including wetlands, forests, rivers and lakes which are currently being done on shoestring budget.

“Wakiso [District] which is so vast receives Shs7 million to look after the environment for 360 days. [But] we are raising money from used cars, used clothes, shoes among others. We need to use this money to support local governments” committee chairperson Alex Byaruhanga said yesterday after meeting National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officials in Kampala.
In the last financial year, government collected about Shs60 billion as environment levy.
“We need to make sure that at least some money goes to consolidated fund but another is tagged to environment restoration. We need to empower the local governments which are in charge of these natural resources,” another committee member Lawrence Songa, said.

After the meeting, Dr Kitutu said if the levy is given to local governments, it will enable recruitment of staff and avail resources to increase supervision and protection of natural resources currently under attack from encroachers as environment officers are thin on the ground.
Uganda losses about 200,000 hectares of forest cover annually according to latest UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report. Other natural resources such as lakes, rivers and lakes are being reclaimed due to inadequate supervision blamed on few personnel on the ground.

“Currently, we have been hit by drought, there is crop failure and it is partly because we have destroyed the environment. If we have that money, we will go full burst to delegate power to sub county chiefs to manage the environment,” Dr Kitutu said by telephone.
When contacted, Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, said government has no problem with giving the said money to local governments but advised MPs to do so legislatively. Also, he said local governments must prove that they will use the money appropriately.
“It is okay to give them the money if they [local government] can plan for it appropriately,” Muhakanizi, said.

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